The Split
by SamEvans17
Summary: What would happen if PTX were to split up? Could they end up getting back together or will one member's life altering event change that?"
1. Prologue

**Prologue**

 _There are always questions floating around asking why Kirstie and I aren't as close as we used to be.  
In any interview or spree-cast we'd tell you that we're closer than ever but that'd be a lie. We say it anyway, hug and move on. Hugging her these days is probably the most awkward thing ever, just sitting next to her can be uncomfortable. She needs her space she says, well I've got news for her: five of us on one couch she's not getting her space.  
We act like everything is fine when it's clearly not and the fans are starting to catch on.  
Kirstie's not just distancing herself from me, but from the other guys too, yes even Scott and Mitch who are supposed to be her best friends.  
I have a one word answer to the start of the entire problem: Jeremy.  
He's also pretty much the reason that what's about to happen now, as Kirstie storms in with a grumpy Scott close behind her, happens at all…_

"I'm calling time!" Kirstie announces. Kevin, Mitch and I look up from our phones, coming out of our own little worlds, because that's just how it is now.  
"What?" Mitch asks.  
"She lost me when she yelled at me out there," Scott rolls his eyes.  
"Oh my god Scott!" Kirstie starts and Kevin winces at her choice of words. "Why do you always have to bring everything back around to you?!" she spins around to face him and he takes a step back. "You sing all the leads, you do all the talking, you always get the biggest say and Mitch always just agrees with you," she points in our direction at Mitch.  
He shrinks back a little, sliding down in his seat.  
"Then Kevin and Avi always team up," she glances over at us, leaving us with a dirty look, "And I'm always on my own, I never get a say! No one is ever on my side!"  
"That's not true Kirstie," Kevin tries.  
"Yes it is!"  
"No it's not," I say, "We listen to you a lot more than you listen to any of us," I stand up watching her roll her eyes.  
"See there you go, you two agreeing."  
"I'm agreeing with him because he's right. You're just over-reacting Kirstie."  
"Oh I'm over-reacting! Am I? Really? Well then how's this. I'm done; I am so done with this, with Pentatonix, with all of you."  
We all watch as she shoves past Scott, storming out of the studio.  
The funniest thing, none of us try to stop her.

 **A/N: Here's 'The Split'. This one is in Avi's point of view, I might need to give a few timeline pointers so you know when I started writing this because it makes more sense since there are a few contradiction before I completely throw everything out the window anyway. Basically I started writing this when Avi used to have his hair tied up all the time, before the original album came out and before Esther got married, and anything else that may have been happening in that time that I forgot to mention. It's not important for this chapter, but it might be later :)**


	2. Chapter 1

I remember watching it.  
We, the four of us, decided the best way to announce it was for Scott and Mitch to do so on Superfruit. It would seem more real and it would be with more emotion where it could be seen just how upset about it they were. That we all were.  
That episode wasn't all that long, four-five minutes max. And it was like a tribute, Kevin and I were going to be on it originally and then we decided not to be, it would all just be too hard.  
So we'd already done it, the five of us went three different ways.  
Eventually Kevin moved out, he went to live with his girlfriend. And it wasn't long after that that Esther moved in after her and Darien broke up. Living with Esther wasn't so bad, everything was always very organised and neat, but it wasn't the same as living with Kevin.  
It's been two years and I've done a couple of culinary classes and have a job at this really nice restaurant up the road from my apartment, Mountain-View Barbeque. Now while we serve _the_ best kind of food, we don't actually have a mountain view, just a big mural on the wall.  
I still talked to Kevin more than the others. He was working in a hospital now, since that's what he always thought he'd do before Pentatonix. Like me in a way, I always said I'd be in the business of food if it weren't for music. And now here I am, barely having having anything to do with music of any sort, never going out of my way to listen to much, let a lone anything new. My playlists were pretty much the same as they were two years ago not that I even listen to that often.  
When Pentatonix ended that was music and my dream too, they ended for me and so food worked I loved it and as of yet I haven't had any signs of it not loving me back. Food was all I really needed in my life anyway, well food and family.  
I haven't really dated much, I didn't really have to, and I probably should have been thinking about this more, but I haven't. Jess and I are back together, now that there's not really any fans to harass her we decided to give it another shot, eight months and counting-kinda. I really don't know though, being with someone has just made me realise how it easy it was not being with someone. I needed to figure out the best way to tell her that.

"Hey Avi, did you watch the latest Superfruit?" Esther turns to me as I leave the bathroom, toweling my hair. Did I mention I'd cut that too? My hair, yeah I did it so that I would look better wearing beanies again, I'd missed them and then as it turns out Jess doesn't like beanies it was a waste of my time and hair. I'm very disappointed.  
"No, not yet. Why?" I hadn't watched any in a while, and I felt a little bad, but hey it's not like either of them had called me or even sent me a text in a while, seven months Scott, four months Mitch if I'm being exact.  
"Because Kirstie's on it."  
I leap over the arm of the sofa to sit next to her, my landing throwing off her balance almost making her spill her laptop and packet of m&m's. It couldn't possibly be Kirstie, none of us had heard from her in two years.  
"Watch it," she sighs, pulling out her earphones and starting the video again for me.  
I actually couldn't believe it, I even pinched myself a couple of time just to make sure. She looked different, it had been two years, but I didn't think the blonde hair was going anywhere. She was always really defensive about it, I don't know why it's not like any of us ever just went 'hey Kirst we hate the colour of your hair.' One thing we did all know though was that Jeremy liked it blonde, and now it was blue-black, still above her shoulders like the last time I'd seen her. She looked good, and she was smiling with them, they were all laughing and dancing around like the children they were. I couldn't help but smile too.

 **A/N: One day late, but it was a long day at work yesterday, please forgive me. I hope you like the direction I'm taking this story.**

 **Hannah :)**


	3. Chapter 2

**A/N: So this is the story that I will be constantly updating, my others will be put on hiatus and this one will be updated at least once every week. I'm doing this, focusing on one story, so that I am at least consistently updating since I've been having issues with that lately. I'm working part time now and I have classes and those two things take priority over fanfiction, especially since this is my last semester at tech and I have 10 000 words to write for that o_O**

 **None the less enjoy :)**

 **Chapter 2**

"I like this one, oh but I like that one too... that one is so nice!" Jess gushes as she browses through a rack of handbags. I'd thought we'd make it home free, but no, she'd stopped at about four different places now on our way out of the mall.  
I just wanted this over with, we needed to get to the end of this so we could get to the end of everything. Even if I felt really bad about it, I didn't even really have a reason to be breaking up with her. Not like her list of reasons for breaking up with me way back when.  
Everyone thinks we mutually broke up because the fans were tough on her, well you're not wrong, but you're not a hundred percent right either. The fans were really just the final straw. The main arguing point was that she'd accuse me of having feelings for Kirstie, and I'd always say no. I may have at liked Kirstie at one point, and that point may or may not have been when I happened to be dating Jess. But now that was all water under the bridge, I didn't like Kirstie like that anymore, in fact I am no longer even in contact with her. That's why Jess and I should be working, the thing is I'd kind of forgotten how controlling she could be in our time apart. I didn't like that at all.  
She must have settled on something because before I know it she's tugging at my arm with a purchase in her other hand.  
"Come on let's go!" she pulls harder and I stumble a little as I come to attention and start walking. I also did that way too much, tuned her out completely. You really shouldn't do that with the girl you're dating.

When I pull up outside her house, she leans in to kiss me and I duck away. I duck away so quickly that I smack the back of my head against my door. I clutch at the back of my head wincing. If I had just kissed her that wouldn't have happened and my head wouldn't be throbbing right now.  
Jess reaches out to me again, more comfort, and I back away again, more carefully though and her face changes, man does it chance. Now Jess is of course beautiful, I won't deny that, but the face she's wearing right now is quite possibly the thing of nightmares.  
"Hi," I smile sheepishly, trying not to show weakness and slide down in my seat like I really want to.  
"Are you okay?" she asks through clenched teeth, and I know she's not asking about my head, well not in the sense that I just hit it and yes it does still hurt, but more like mentally and I have to say I am not too sure.  
I shrug, watching her carefully.  
"What is the problem Avi?"  
"No problem," I lie, "None," I lie again. _Actually I want to break up with you but I'm too scared to tell you that for fear of being murdered._ Yep all that in my head, good enough. "I'll see you later," I smile, releasing my head and waving then I lean in to kiss her on the cheek. She looks at me dumbstruck but none the less says bye and gets out of my car.  
I'm a goddamn chicken.

 **A/N: I'm sorry that was so short, I hadn't realised it was that bad :/ I might update again tomorrow to make up for it seeing as I am a few chapter ahead with this one at the moment.**

 **Please vote and comment and make my day!  
Hannah :)**


	4. Chapter 3

**A/N: This part is longer, and it's my fave so far, enjoy this little surprise ;)**

 **Chapter 3**

I get a text from none other than Kirstie at about three in the morning. She was lucky that I hadn't gotten a new number, but I also wondered why she was up at three in the morning. Why was I up at three in the morning?  
She didn't answer the why she was up bit, but she did want to meet up and I thought well there's no harm in that so I agreed to it.  
I walked into the Starbucks the next day, a couple of blocks from my apartment. I spotted Kirsite almost immediately, remembering the dark hair and all. She'd picked a bad table though, one next to some lady that had her kid in a seat-case thing on the ground.  
Kirstie was looking down at the baby when I approach the table, then she looks at me. She immediately jumps up and reaches over the table to hug me. I'm unable to hug her back since she's just hugging me so tight and minorly cutting off my breathing.  
We both sit down and she keeps smiling at me, it was a little weird. But I tried to keep my own smile on my face.  
"So how are you? How's life?"  
I raise one eyebrow, "That's an incredibly broad question."  
She laughs then tries again, "How are you, and… what are you doing now? Are you seeing anyone? All that good stuff."  
"You just jump right in don't you," I chuckle, playing with the edge of the table. Why'd she have to ask the 'are you seeing anyone' question, how in the hell was I supposed to answer that? "Um, I'm alright, working at a restaurant: Mountain View Barbeque, and… no," I say the last word slowly, possibly too slowly. Because you see if I don't chicken out the next time I see her then that answer will in fact be true.  
"And you don't elaborate," she smiles.  
"Nope," I shrug and look around a little. "So what about you."  
"Wellll," she starts off. "I'm doing pretty fantastic actually, a little tired sometimes, but you know it's to be expected. I'm not really doing much, a bit of part-time work at a preschool. The little kids are just so adorable, and yet none can compare."  
"No of course not," I smile and nod, I didn't know what she was comparing, but I decide to just roll with it.  
"And I'm single, which is why it's so weird to be doing so great. I mean that's weird isn't it?"  
Hold on. "Hold on." Did she just say she was single? "Did you just say you were single?" I lean forward a bit.  
"I guess that makes two of us," she smiles and leans in a little herself.  
I immediately lean back because I remember that I lied. But Kirstie was single, and well now everything just made sense.

We chat for a long while, just catching up, simple stuff. I don't tell her about Jess which is fair enough seeing as she didn't tell me about her own little shocker. I found out the difficult way.  
We're just talking when that baby starts crying.  
I pull up a superfrown that Kirstie bursts out laughing at.  
"Do you mind if we go for a walk?"  
"I could say the same to you, I mean your shoes, they're… yeah high," I chuckle.  
She smiles, "I think I'll manage."  
I nod getting up, not glancing back as she reaches down to pick up her handbag, I thought.  
I get outside and she's close behind me, and I swear the baby followed us, because its still just as loud.  
I turn and my eyes must go as wide as saucers when I see Kirstie carrying the baby-seat-case-thing.  
She looks up at me like nothing is different, or just completely wrong, like it is.  
"Kirst, is there something you didn't tell me?" I look down at the baby then back at her.  
"We need to go to the mall, they have a feeding place there. It's literally right across the road and I can't feed her in there, people don't like it," she shrugs.  
"Oh, right yeah," I nod and keep nodding as we walk, because holy shit Kirstie is a mom.

 **A/N: Boom! Kirstie's got a baby! Did you guys see that coming? :o**

 **I hope you liked it, I'll update at some point in the near future, hopefully sooner rather than later ;) But until then, please vote and comment and make my day in the process!**

 **Hannah :)**


	5. Chapter 4

**A/N: Another short one, sorry guys :P Hope you enjoy it nonetheless.**

 **Chapter 4**

I sat on the floor with my legs crossed and my back to Kirstie. We were in one of those little rooms with the curtain, I'd always wondered what was in the mother's rooms at the mall and now I knew. She had told me I had to come in with her cause she'd be too bored otherwise and now there was not a chance in hell I was turning around. Kirstie had said it was okay to look because it was totally natural and she wasn't embarrassed. She may not have been but I am tomato red! I do have boundaries, I was not about to watch her feed her baby like _that_.  
I did however want to hold the baby, and I've learnt that her name is Marcia Alice Maldonado. No Lewis because he bailed and that was just a dick move on his part, but this was probably not the best situation for 'I told you so's.' Anyway, that was just an assumption of mine, maybe he died, but I doubt it.  
I could hold Marcia later and I would be doing that eagerly.  
"So... Am I allowed to ask what happened?"  
"About what?"  
"Marcia's dad."  
"No."  
"Sorry."  
"No, don't be. I actually don't mind telling you exactly, I just don't like talking about it."  
"Fair enough, it's fine, you don't have to tell me."  
"It's okay. Scott and Mitch know, so I might as well tell you too. How about you look at me though, that'd be a nice start," she laughs a little.  
"But you're..."  
"She's finished now, I'm all tucked away, you don't have to worry," she chuckles.  
I spin on my spot on the ground to see that they have in fact finished. Smiling I hold out my arms, hoping I'd get to hold the little girl in pink and green.  
With a grin Kirstie crouches down in front of me and tucks Marcia into my arms.  
"I'm glad I'm going to have you guys again," she whispers, playing with her hands. "I missed you and Kev, and Scott and Mitch, so much," she sighs. "Jeremy left me."  
I look up from Marcia to Kirstie.  
"I mean you knew I was single and that he wasn't in the picture but the full story is that he left me. And he did it at the perfect time too, he decided a month before she was born that he wanted out. So much for that almost four year relationship."  
I didn't know what to say, and she was tearing up and I wished we'd been there for her the whole time because then I would know what to say and wouldn't be looking at her like an idiot.  
"I'm sorry," I tell her quietly. "I'm sorry that he was such a jerk and that you didn't have better, you and Marcia deserve better and now you're gonna find it. I'm sure of that." I offer her a small smile and balance Marcia in my arm to wrap the other around Kirstie and let her sob into my shoulder.  
Yeah I'd missed her, a lot.

 **A/N: I swear it felt like they were so much longer when I was writing them :P Oh well,what do you guys think so far?**

 **Hannah.**


	6. Chapter 5

**A/N: Yeah I know not another short one damn it :P But this is where I had to split it to make the next real good, and I promise extra long. I'll maybe be posting it tomorrow, this is more of a filler, hope you enjoy :)**

 **Chapter 5**

I started hanging out with Kirstie and Marcia a lot more. In fact sometimes I just hung out with just Kirstie when Sott and Mitch babysat. All of it was nice and I was starting to get to know Kirstie again. As it turns out, not much had changed with her, besides becoming a mom of course.  
She still liked to eat, like as in a lot. To me that was always one of the most awesome things about her, amongst others, but that hit it for me.  
Jess wasn't much of a eater, she didn't appreciate food like I did, like Kirstie did. I cooked a few meals for Kirstie, and she ate everything, complementing it, she enjoyed it. Whenever I cooked for Jess she ate some, stirred the rest around on her plate then binned it. And that kinda hurt my feelings.  
Hanging out with Kirstie, today in particular. Marcia was in a front pack that Kirstie was wearing and she had cute little polka-dot sunglasses on, they were pink and she just looked so adorable. We were walking around a park, it was a nice day out and there were plenty of people about.  
We went and sat under a tree when Marcia started getting fussy, Kirstie said she just needed to get out of the sun for a bit. I was wearing a plaid shirt over a t-shirt and so I took that off and laid it on the ground for Marcia so she could roll a bit and not get dirty or anything.  
"Just don't change her on there," I joke and Kirstie laughs, lightly shoving me.  
"I promise I won't."  
"Good," I smile at her, and turn back to Marcia, holding my finger out for her to grab. She does and I smile down at her, lightly tickling her with my other hand. She squirms around, she was ticklish just like her mom. That's about when Marcia starts laughing and just won't stop, even when I take my hands away.  
Kirstie pretty much squeals and I turn to look at her, she was unbelievably happy right now. She grabs my arm.  
"That's her first laugh!" she tells me, bouncing in her spot on her legs that she was sitting on. "Oh my gosh Avi that's her first laugh! I was getting worried cause it's supposed to be around four months, but you know six is good enough!" she hugs onto my arm and we both laugh along with the giggling baby. With us laughing, she keeps laughing and we keep laughing because she does. It's a beautiful little circle.  
I'd been the first one to make this adorable little creature laugh, and I couldn't be more proud right now. I was incredibly stoked to be sharing this moment with Kirstie too, I was happy to be there for her and for Marcia.  
I'd almost completely forgotten about Jess, and that's not something you want to be doing with the person you're dating. Well sort of dating because you actually don't want to be dating them and they haven't taken the hint no matter how many times you'd already tried to tell them.  
Someone please help me.

 **A/N: What is Avi to do guys?**


	7. Chapter 6

**A/N: I'll update today instead of Saturday, since i'm working on Sunday and need to wake up early boo :(**

 **Chapter 6**

I am a horrible, very bad, no good person.  
And yet I don't regret what I did.  
I went back with Kirstie and Marcia to their apartment. Kirstie put Marcia down for a nap then asked if I wanted to watch a movie or something. Now Kirstie and I hang out all the time now, just us. But right then I knew something was different this time. I just didn't put my finger on it until it was happening, and then I still didn't stop it.  
Watching the movie was fine, and then kissing Kirstie was fine even though my mind was screaming it wasn't fine! And then the sex, well that was more than fine, that was amazing. But it's not something you're supposed to be doing with the person you're not dating.  
Here's the thing, Jess doesn't know I'm trying to break up with her and Kirstie still doesn't know that I'm even dating Jess in the first place and at the point of trying to break up with her. This a mess and I am a horrible, very bad no good person. Even if everything that happened this afternoon just felt so right, it wasn't.  
Plus it was all on her couch, so damn classy. Way back when I had that crush on her, very rarely would I imagine any of that, but if I did it wasn't on a couch, it was better than that because Kirstie was better than that. Just cause I didn't really want Jess in my bed, it's a bad habit I've picked up, a stupid habit actually, it's ridiculous I fell into it at all.  
Kirstie doesn't need this, this stress I've got on my shoulders, the lies I'm telling her. Jess doesn't either, I shouldn't have to be worrying about her though, that's the problem. I need to get rid of her, but I can't figure out a way to get through to her that I don't want to be with her anymore.  
What if I just left? Just went somewhere by myself, not tell anyone, not even Esther. That would solve everything and I wouldn't have to worry about seeing anyone's feelings getting hurt, it'd be ideal wouldn't it? Kirstie did it, so why can't I?

I rush home, luckily Esther's not there. I pull my suitcase down out of the wardrobe, off the shelf, man was it wedged in there, what had I been thinking? That I'd never use it again? Eventually it comes down and I flip it open. It is black with highlighter-green trim and a big dragon sticker on it, that had actually been Kirstie's idea when we'd started touring so that I could spot it on the conveyor belts.  
I felt a pang in my chest as I thought about her, and thinking about Kirstie brought me to thinking about Marcia, and how Kirstie was all by herself, raising a baby and now I'm just ditching her.  
But we're not dating. Why should I worry so much? She was fine before me and now she'll be fine after me, she's back in contact with Scott and Mitch, I'm sure Kevin too.  
I shove some clothes into the suitcase and a spare pair of shoes, I don't bother folding the clothes or putting any of it in there neatly, it was lucky that I most likely wouldn't fill it anyways.  
I carry the case out into the lounge and place it on the table, thinking about what else I might need when there is a knock at the door. The first thought that crosses my mind is not to answer. With a second and third rapping I sigh and make my way over to the door. Opening it, I find the last two people I wanted to see right now.  
"Guess what you left at mine?" Kirstie asks in her sing song 'mom' voice, bouncing Marcia on her hip, the young girl giggling. "What do you have in your hand?" she snuggles closer with her daughter, who's arms are flailing around, my beanie clutched in her tiny fist.  
"Beanie!" Kirsite cheers, laughing as she turns to face me. "So we brought it back to you, not to mention this one," she lightly bounces her daughter once, "Couldn't wait to see you again, she just hasn't been quiet since you left, and look at her now, all bubbly and smiling. You're her favourite guy, mine too," she gives me a beaming smile, lifting Marcia up so that their cheeks were pressed together, both smiling at me.  
I half smile back. "Is that all then? I'm…" I trail off as she steps past me into my apartment, "Kirst, now isn't really a good time."  
"Where are you going?" she asks as she turns back around, she had a frown on her face, of course she did, we'd been hanging out so much she was bummed that I hadn't told her I was going on holiday. But I'm not going on holiday, and she doesn't know that, so I don't answer. I don't know if that was maybe the stupidest thing I've ever done.  
"Avi are you leaving or something?" she asks with a laugh, oh she's joking, but I stay quiet and her smile drops. "Are you leaving?" she asks in a more serious tone. "If this is about this afternoon, I already promised you that Marcia wouldn't have heard us she was asleep."  
I sigh, shaking my head.  
"Is it that it happened at all? Do you regret what happened? Avi if that's what it is then just tell me, I don't want to lose you as a friend again Avi, please don't leave me," my stomach drops further and further the more she talks. I really don't have the heart to tell her the truth, and I can't bring myself to speak, that just upsets her more.  
"Avi, please talk to me. If you're mad at me I'm sorry, even though it was both of us, did you not want to and I pressured you or something? Avi just talk!"  
I run my hands through my hair, "Kirstie it's none of that, none… I can't tell you what it is, okay I'm sorry."  
"Is someone in your family sick?" she just doesn't give up does she?  
I shake my head.  
"Then what? What is it?" she whines. "You can't not tell me Avi, that's allowed okay!"  
"Don't tell me what to do Kirstie, please," I sigh, turning away from her.  
"Avi are you scared that because of us sleeping together will lead to dating and becoming an insta-dad, because it doesn't need to, it could mean nothing? If that's what you want?"  
"That's not what I want Kirstie. But what I want isn't relevant because I need to leave, so you need to go, please no more questions." This hurt, I have no words for how much this hurt. I walk back over to the front door and open it, holding it for her, I wait without looking up at her, I just can't.  
I end up having to look because she doesn't come towards the door, I look over at her and she's sat on the couch with Marcia cuddled in her arms, staring at me.  
"Kirstie," I sigh.  
She just shakes her head, "Are you going to make me leave? Are you going to force me with a baby in my arms?" she slyly raises an eyebrow and when I don't reply she answers, "I didn't think so."  
"Kirstie, please," I gesture out the door, she was right, I wasn't going to physically make her move, I couldn't, and wouldn't because of Marcia. If Marcia wasn't there then I'd pick her up and put her outside, I bet I could still do that. "Whether you're here or not-"  
"Hey."  
"Oh you have got to be kidding me!" I turn to face the person who had just shown up in the doorway. And through clenched teeth I reply, "Hi Jessica."

 **A/N: Dun Dun Dun! :O  
** **Well Avi's in the deep end now isn't he...**

 **Hope you liked :)**

 **Hannah.**


	8. Chapter 7

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p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #555555;" /p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #555555;" align="center"span style="box-sizing: border-box; font-weight: bold;"span style="box-sizing: border-box; text-decoration: underline;"Chapter 7:/span/span/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #555555;"Kirstie leans forward in her seat at the sound of the style="box-sizing: border-box;" / "Oh my gosh, Jess hi!" she smiles standing up with Marcia, and walking over to us. Well now how screwed am I? This was exactly what I was trying to avoid. This is why I needed to style="box-sizing: border-box;" / "Hey Kirstie," she replies with a half smile, half frown. I really hope she doesn't ask her what she's doing here. "Is she yours?" Jess asks, stepping forward and gesturing to style="box-sizing: border-box;" / "Yeah," she nods, looking down at her daughter. At least Jess hadn't asked why Kirstie was there, although neither has Kirstie… Okay now I'm style="box-sizing: border-box;" / "How old is she?"br style="box-sizing: border-box;" / With a smile she replies, "Six months."br style="box-sizing: border-box;" / "So cute!" she gushes, holding her finger out for Marcia to hold, "Name?"br style="box-sizing: border-box;" / "Marcia."br style="box-sizing: border-box;" / Jess nods slowly, looking up at Kirstie, "Interesting," she fake smiles, I knew she didn't like the name, but I thought Marcia was a nice name, what did Jess know anyway. "So what are you doing here Kirst? Last I heard you left a couple of years ago with… Jeremy? Was it?" she raises an style="box-sizing: border-box;" / "Yep, but he's gone, and now I'm back. Caught up with the boys and everythings how it should be now, well besides me being a mom, but you know I'm happy so. But I was wondering what you were doing here?"br style="box-sizing: border-box;" / style="box-sizing: border-box;" / Jess's eyes narrow slightly, confusion I hope, I really hope. I should say something, what should I say?br style="box-sizing: border-box;" / "I'm bringing over Avi's shirt for my dad's birthday party, I want him to look nice," she gives Kirstie a warm style="box-sizing: border-box;" / "Oh, I forgot," I sigh, and they both turn to me before back to each style="box-sizing: border-box;" / "Why?" Kirstie style="box-sizing: border-box;" / "Because he said he'd go."br style="box-sizing: border-box;" / "Again, why?"br style="box-sizing: border-box;" / Shit, shit, style="box-sizing: border-box;" / I take a step backwards, the only one who notices is Marcia, her eyes watch me as I take another step back, and then another. She starts laughing, and the two women turn to her before they look over at me, now several steps away. I halt, wide eyed, what were they going to do? I might die. Mom I love you, dad style="box-sizing: border-box;" / "Avi, what's going on?" Kirstie asks slowly. Jess raises an eyebrow, obviously wanting to know the answer to the same style="box-sizing: border-box;" / "It's really very simple, but I think it's best if I just keep quiet," I nervously chuckle, my heart was beating so fast I thought it might thump out of my chest. What kind of guy was I? I'm a cheater and a liar, when did I become such a horrible person, I don't deserve either of them. Which is okay because neither of them are ever going to talk to me again after style="box-sizing: border-box;" / "Avi!" Jessica hisses, her volume style="box-sizing: border-box;" / I look between them, they were both getting angry, I could see it, worst part is I'm not even sure they knew why they were angry yet, they might do but I still have that small shred of hope in me that they don't. br style="box-sizing: border-box;" / It's in that moment that Kirstie's face softens, she must realise that I can't actually speak because I might shit myself. "Avi please explain what is going on here."br style="box-sizing: border-box;" / "I'm so sorry," I manage to say. I watch Jess's face fall and Kirstie's eyes squeeze shut. "Kirstie, I've been dating Jessica since long before you came back." I then slowly turn to face Jessica, "I slept with Kirstie."br style="box-sizing: border-box;" / She storms around the couch and I back into the wall in fear for my life. I tense as she raises her hand, but it still really hurts when her hand connects with my face, the slap ringing out across the room. Then Jess all but runs from the room, I didn't blame her, I didn't want to be in a room with me style="box-sizing: border-box;" / But Kirstie was still there. And Marcia, blissfully unaware style="box-sizing: border-box;" / "Why?"br style="box-sizing: border-box;" / I look down at the ground, "Because I'm stupid."br style="box-sizing: border-box;" / "Yeah, no shit. But I can't believe you did that to her. If I'd have known-"br style="box-sizing: border-box;" / I cut her off, "Kirstie if you had known we wouldn't have even been hanging out like we have been. You've never wanted to hang out with me when I dated someone, or when you were dating someone."br style="box-sizing: border-box;" / "Avi that doesn't mean you lie to my face. I don't have a tolerance for this, you know that. You know how I feel about cheating and you made me a a part of it."br style="box-sizing: border-box;" / "You kissed me first."br style="box-sizing: border-box;" / "But you didn't stop it!" She yells and Marcia starts to cry. "We have to go now," she says, I can see the tears welling up in her eyes. "And leave if you want, we don't care."br style="box-sizing: border-box;" / With that she walks out of the apartment. I don't stop her, not because I don't care, just like two years ago. I don't stop her because she'd hate me more if I did./p  
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #555555;"span style="box-sizing: border-box; font-weight: bold;"A/N: :(/span/p  
p style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 24px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'Source Sans Pro', 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; line-height: 24px; padding: 0px; color: #555555;"span style="box-sizing: border-box; font-weight: bold;"See what happens Avi, see :(/span/p 


	9. Chapter 8

**A/N: If this seems rushed, then I'm sorry, that was not my intention, there was just a lot of dialogue I wanted to get in, plus things do seem to be moving fast at the moment, that could be why I feel like it's too quick. Nonetheless I hope you guys like it.  
Also sorry it's a day late, I practically fell asleep when I got home from work last night :P**

 **Chapter 8:**

A few days later after the inevitable happened, I didn't end up leaving by the way, I was at work. And for the first time in forever I realised I really didn't want to be there, I always loved work, I got to cook barbeque all day, but not today: I was cooking barbeque of course, but I didn't want to be there.  
I missed singing and music, it'd been two years and now it chose to sneak back up on me, right when everything couldn't possibly be worse.  
On my break I rang Kevin, him and I hadn't talked in too long, by that I meant a few weeks, and that was nothing on Scott and Mitch's months but Kevin is Kevin and that's just how it is.  
"Hey Kev, we should do something."  
 _"You want to hang out? That's a surprise."  
_ "Yeah haha. I didn't mean hang out, well I did, but we should do something for youtube, I haven't posted something in forever and I miss your beatboxing."  
 _"Well aren't you kind, I guess I maybe kind of missed your bass, but don't go getting a big head."_ I can hear the smile in his voice.  
"I won't, I mean even if it did expand a little it still wouldn't be as big as yours."  
He laughs _, "Oh please. So is this project just me and you or is Kirstie getting involved too?"  
_ "Why would Kirstie be involved?"  
 _"Because her facebook feed is full of pictures you her and Marcia."  
_ "You know about Marcia?"  
 _"Of course I do, we've had some chats since she's been back, what you think you're the only one she's been talking to?"_  
"Well no, I didn't, I knew she did a video with Scott and Mitch. But that's beside the point, her and I aren't really talking right now. Long story short I didn't something stupid, don't ask."  
 _"Okay, I won't now but I expect the full run down later, got it?"_  
"Got it," I sigh.  
 _"Alright, well I'd better get going, I'll be over tomorrow, you still don't work Monday's right?"_  
"Nor Tuesdays."  
 _"Well I don't work Monday's so I'll see you tomorrow."_  
"Bye."  
 _"See you."_  
I hang up my phone and stare at it for a moment. Great now Kevin was gonna know what a horrible person I am too.

…

There's a knock at the door and I immediately jump up and open it to see Kevin's smiling face.  
"Hi," he says as he steps past me and I close the door behind him.  
"Just say it, you miss living here," I joke, clapping him on the shoulder.  
"I do actually," he turns back to face me.  
"What?" I ask confused, because last I'd known he'd been very happy with Alyssa in their new house.  
"I'm staying with Kellon at the moment."  
"What?" I ask again, because I don't know what else to say, first Kirstie and Jeremy, then Kevin and Alyssa, well I'm assuming, but even me because that slap had to mean she was done with me. What the freaking hell is going on.  
"What do you mean what? Do I really have to say it?"  
I shake my head, "No I get it, but what happened?"  
"I don't even know, one minute everything was great, the next she's telling me she's not happy anymore," he sighs. "But I didn't come here to talk about me, although now that I have talked about me, you should have to talk about you. Why is Kirstie not talking to you, or why are you not talking to her… I mean what happened?"  
"We slept together."  
"I did not think you'd come right out and say it… but why is that a problem, besides it being a sin," he half laughs.  
"I hadn't broken up with Jessica at the time it happened."  
His eyes widen, and it looks like he's about to swear, he doesn't of course but I can only imagine what's going through his head, none of it's good.  
"How could you do that?"  
"How? Well let me see. I like Kirstie, always have, that's how."  
"But you're better than that Avi, how could you do that to Jessica?"  
"I don't know, it just happened, okay. And in my defense I have been trying to break up with Jess since before Kirstie was even back, I just couldn't do it."  
"You still like Jess?" Kevin asks.  
I shake my head, "No, no I don't, she just wouldn't take the hint. I swear I said I wanted to break up and she just told me no. Kevin, Kirstie was my way out, I'm pretty sure Jess gets it now, she slapped me, I'm pretty sure we're not together anymore."  
He frowns, "Jess was there?"  
"Yes, she showed up when I was trying to leave."  
"But Kirstie was there-"  
"Yes she was, she brought back my beanie, would you please just shut up stating the obvious, please?"  
"Avi I don't know what's going on, all I know is that you've managed to upset two women who really didn't deserve to be messed with."  
Looking down I don't do anything, Kevin's right, Kevin's always right, typical Kevin.  
"I like Kirstie."  
"I know you do."  
"I like her a lot."  
"I know that too. So what are you gonna do about it?"  
I have no fucking idea what I'm gonna do, but I'm not going to say that to him, because then the lecture on swearing will happen and I don't have time for that.  
"You have to remember though Avi, that with Kirstie, it's not just about Kirstie anymore, Marcia too. Mucking over two women is one thing, but if you muck around that poor little girl Kirstie will never forgive you. You have to know what you want, if that's Kirstie then it's Marcia too because we all know you, you won't be able to help but be a father to that girl. Are you ready and wanting to be a dad?"  
"But that would be up to Kirstie, she might not want me to be that person in Marcia's life. Because that could be how it is, if Kirstie ever forgives me and if she even wants to date me at all, she might want me to just be Avi, Marcia would call me Avi just like everyone else."  
"So you're say in this long term future we both know you've always had mapped out in your imagination with Kirstie, where you and her get married and have children, that if it got tweaked just a little that you would not end up being a father to a little girl who has never known anyone else?"  
Well when you put it like that Kevin, I still have no fucking idea what's going on because Kirstie god damn hates me right now. He's basically spewing shit and I'm nodding along like an idiot, like I actually have a chance.  
Bullshit.

 **A/N: Yeah I don't really know what it is about this chapter, but I don't like it all that much. It makes sense to the story and it's exactly what needs to be here, I hope it's just me and that you guys enjoyed this like bit of meat and potatoes and Kevin's advice session :)**

 **Hannah.**


	10. Chapter 9

**A/N: It took me awhile to get this one going and then once I did I really enjoyed writing the second half, it really didn't go where I expected it to! I hope you enjoy reading the whole thing :)**

 **Chapter 9:**

So you know how I wanted to do a collab with Kevin? Yeah well that didn't really happen, no we just ended up moving him back in. I also forgot to tell Esther, to say she wasn't impressed would be an understatement.  
Esther couldn't believe that he was moving in and I hadn't consulted her. Let me put it like this, she lives here rent free, I don't have to consult her. She however does not see it that way and so she hasn't said a word to me in the last two hours. We'll be good by dinner, she never stays mad at me for long.  
"How much thinking have you done on the Kirstie thing?" Kevin asks as we both put boxes down in the spare room, well not spare any more, it's Kevin's again, now we have no spare rooms.  
"A lot."  
"So are you going to talk to her?"  
"If she'll let me."  
"Have you tried contacting her?"  
I shake my head, "Nope."  
"Well aren't you just a genius."  
"Thank you," I turn a smile on him.  
"I was being sarcastic."  
"What? No?!" I laugh, "That was sarcasm too Kev."  
"I'm starting to think it wasn't the best idea for me to move back in here." He sighs and bends down to pick up the box he'd just put down a minute ago.  
"No-no, don't, I won't be silly anymore, I mean I'll try not be. Sometimes I can't help it," I joke, earning a smile as he puts the box down once more.  
"Good, because I really don't want to be carrying all this stuff out again," he chuckles. "So now you go and call Kirstie while I unpack."  
"It's only been a few days Kevin, it's too soon, she won't want to talk to me."  
"I'll call her then."  
My eyes widen as he pulls out his phone, "What? No!" But it was too late, he was dialing.  
"Hi, yeah hey Kirstie… how are you… oh good, that's good… yeah me too… I have someone here who needs to talk to you, this is all my idea so don't be mad at him," and he shoves the phone into my hand.  
"Hey Kirst," I say slowly as Kevin backs into his room, shutting the door between us. I'm left with Kirstie on the phone, and she's not happy.  
 _"Why are you dragging Kevin into this?"  
_ "Did you not hear him? He dragged himself into this, I was too scared to call you because I know you hate me."  
I hear her sigh, _"I don't hate you Avi."_ That's good, that's really good to hear her say that.  
"You don't?" I have to be sure.  
 _"No I don't, I'm just really mad and really really disappointed."_ That's almost worst.  
"Please let me try and make it up to you."  
 _"I don't know how you possibly could Avi."_ I didn't either.  
"I at least have to try, you mean to much to me to let you disappear for another two years, I can't let that happen again."  
 _"I'm not going anywhere. But fine, I'll let you try and make it up to me, you better figure out something good Kaplan."  
_ "Like I said I'll try my best."  
 _"Alright. And Avi-"_ she pauses for a moment and I hum in reply to let her know that she has my full attention. _"We need to talk at some point, about what happened, I need to understand it, and it wouldn't seem right over the phone."_  
If we were together I'd be worried she was going to be breaking up with me. But who knows maybe she was going to tell me that no matter what I did she still didn't want anything to do with me. I hesitantly answer, "Yeah sure, of course."  
 _"Are you free tomorrow?"  
_ I nod, then remember she can't see me, "Yeah, yeah I am,"  
 _"Good, I'll be over tomorrow then."  
_ I take a deep breath before I ask my next question, her answer would put me on a scale of really just how mad she was at me, "Will Marcia be coming too?"  
I hear the hesitation in her voice and I swear my heart must stop for a moment before she answers, _"Yes."_ Now I knew, I knew she definitely didn't hate me, she can't if she was going to allow her daughter to be around me still. I tried to suppress the small smile I had brimming, even though she had told me that she didn't hate me, that is what I would call definite proof.  
"I'll see you two then."  
 _"Yep, bye."  
_ "Bye."  
I am literally cheering in my head as I hang up the phone, tomorrow really can't come fast enough.

And then I couldn't sleep. Me, Avi Kaplan, I couldn't sleep. I love sleep, but I just couldn't. What if even though she was bringing Marcia, she did in fact hate me, what if my logic was wrong? It wouldn't be the first time.  
What if Kirstie was coming over to tell me that she never wanted to see me again? She might not be leaving but she just didn't want to see me anymore or talk to me. With all this going through my head there was just no way I'd get to sleep.  
So I sit up and I get out of bed. This is nothing a snack wouldn't fix right? I'll just make a sandwich, I start to gather ingredients, I'm just about to grab the cheese when I pull back, weird dreams are the last things I need right now. I end up with just chicken and mayo because the greens aren't speaking to me, not that they ever are because I hate them. But it's past midnight and I think it's stupid to eat vegetables past midnight.  
With my snack made, I walk around the apartment eating it, because why not, my apartment my rules. And when I'm about halfway through I walk into Esther's room thinking about all the times I'd the very same thing when I was little and had had nightmares. She's always been there for me and right now I'm in a real life nightmare, unfortunately of my own doing.  
I only have a quarter of my sandwich left when I tap on her shoulder and she swats out at me knocking it to the ground.  
"Ew! What was that?" she screeches, sitting bolt upright and snatching her glasses from the bedside table.  
I sigh, "A really good sandwich." I bend down to pick it up, I wonder if it's still okay.  
"So help me Avriel, if you eat that I'll kill you."  
"Well that's a little harsh," I look away from my sandwich to my sister.  
"Put it in the bin," she points across the room. "What are you doing in here? At-" she must check her phone while my back it to her, "Almost one in the morning."  
I flop back onto her bed, "I can't sleep."  
"And so with that free time you choose to annoy me?" Ahh same old Esther, she was always so much meaner when I'd woken her up, she'd come around she always did, plus it could be traces of the fact that I let Kev move back in without telling her.  
"That's exactly what I did."  
"Why can't you sleep?"  
"Because I'm a horrible person," I say quietly.  
"Avi? What? No," I can see her shake her head out of the corner of my eye, boy is she wrong.  
"Yeah I am, and worst of all I think Kirstie hates me, she said she didn't, and then she's bringing Marcia with her tomorrow, but I've come to the realisation that that doesn't mean anything and that she hates me."  
"But if she said- nevermind, just come here." I look over at her to see her arms wide open. Esther always gives great hugs. I crawl up the bed and lean against her, facing away from her. She wraps her arms around me in what some might call a chokehold but I would call an Esther hug that she could turn into a choke hold if I said something really dumb, or to piss her off. "What did you do?"  
"Why do you assume I did something?" Her arms tighten and my voice goes higher, unusual yes, but possible. "I did something."  
She loosens her arms again, "And what was that?"  
"I cheated on Jess with Kirstie." And there went her arms.  
She speaks calmly, as if she's not choking me, "See I thought something like that might have happened since you didn't mention Jess at all, but I didn't think you of all people would stoop that low and yet here we are, my arm around your for the best reason it ever has been."  
"Air!" I squeak and her arm loosens enough for me to breath, she'd never really hurt me and I'd actually let myself into this position in both ways.  
"Now you know what I reckon?" she doesn't pause long enough for me to get a word in. "I reckon Jess hates you, but not Kirstie."  
"Jess slapped me."  
"And you deserved it. But I don't think Kirstie hates you, she'd be hurt that you lied, but she won't hate you. It's never been in her nature to hate anyone, you should know that Avi. Now just close your god-damn eyes," I do and she pulls me with her, momentarily cutting off my air again as she lies down. "Lay your pain in the ass head down. And go to fucking sleep."  
If her words weren't so violent they'd make a good song.

 **A/N: Yeah not at all what I was expecting, he was gonna write a song then nope he talked to Esther and then I thought it'd be cute, but nope it was... whatever that was haha, hope you guys liked it, please comment and make my day!**

 **Hannah :)**


	11. Chapter 10

**A/N: Sorry it's a day late guys :/**

 **Chapter 10:**

I kid you not, I sat by the front door waiting for Kirstie. And I still am.  
I'm giving her leeway since she has a baby and they don't always cooperate, but almost two hours is starting to get excessive. I'm not going to call though, it was her decision to come over and I guess it's now her decision not to.  
Even if that hurts real bad.  
Of course this means she definitely hates me, all former fears that Esther had quashed, back. And back with a vengeance.  
I began to pace, because well something could be wrong, with Kirstie, or worse Marcia. Kirstie can handle a lot more than a six month old baby. But surely that wouldn't be the case right? I'm just over thinking things.  
"Calm down," I quietly tell myself, running my hands down my face. I come to a stop in front of the door again and just stare at it.  
It was a particularly boring door, not that doors are ever really that interesting. It is brown, it is wood, there is nothing else to say about it. This is really fucking boring. My room would be more interesting.  
I walk quickly away from the door, the very boring door and right as I step foot in my room there is a knock at the door. Turns out it's true what they say about watching the pot boil, or whatever it was.  
I rush back out and open the door, trying and filing to rein in my smile. Then it just drops when it's not Kirstie. But I have to pull one back on for Mitch.  
"Hey," I give him a nod.  
"Oh my god I came here from work. You were either dead or your phone is flat!" he shoves me.  
"What? No. I don't let my phone go flat," I shake my head. "Why is it so important you talk to me?"  
"It's not, well it is, but it's not me. Kirstie's been trying to call you, Marcia had a huge reaction to something and spewed everywhere, like projectile," he gags, but come on it's just baby vomit. "Which sounds horrendous, then took the poor girl to the hospital. She wants you there, god knows why since you can't even charge your damn phone!" he shoves me again.  
"My phone is not flat," I say again, because no way. But pulling my phone from my pocket talls a different story. "Oh. Wait did you say she wants me there?"  
"Yes you idiot! Get your ass to the hospital already. So come on," he waves me with him,so I assume he's going to take me. I leave my useless phone on the coffee table and grab my leather jacket, locking the door behind me.  
"Can you drive? I hate driving other people," he tosses me the keys before I can even answer. "I'll text Kirstie with my charged phone that we're on our way."  
"Can you not be snarky for like one second?" I snap in frustration as we get into the car, I'm not mad at him, only me because I'm stupid and I didn't charge my phone.  
"It's called sass, and I live for it."  
"Sorry."  
"It's fine, I'm worried too, even if babies are totally gross, Kirstie's is somewhat less gross."  
I'd missed Mitch, it had been ages since I'd last seen him, probably just over a year. And today he just came busting in like nothing had changed. Busting is probably a strong word though, he did knock. I mean we more haven't gone the whole small talk thing, could be the worry for Marcia, or that we just don't need to, or Kirstie's already told him everything.  
That last one worries me, because there could be several versions of everything. Like the what I did everything, or the she caught up with me again everything, since there doesn't seem to be any other likely options I just have to hope it's no the first one.  
The drive is silent, but not awkward, I concentrate on driving and he is on his phone the whole time.  
"It was this hospital right?" I suddenly ask as I pull into a parking lot.  
"Oh shit." He looks up and around, "I hope so. Let me text her again."  
We wait for a moment for the confirmation that it is in fact the right hospital, and I run in. Mitch is quite a way behind me, but I don't care. Sprinting into the baby ward I spot Kirstie immediately, her hair haphazard and tears streaming down her face, she had what must be vomit all down her front and she was wringing her hand together. What kind of people leave a mother like this when they're treating her baby.  
"Kirstie!" As I'm walking towards her she turns and then runs at me, despite the vomit I hug her close as she wraps her arms around me and cries into my chest.  
"How's Marcia?"  
"I don't know!" she sobs. "They won't tell me."  
"Well we'll make them tell you," Mitch speaks up as he finally appears. "I'll give them shit, tell me who to yell at first!"  
Kirstie points to a lady sat behind a reception desk and Mitch storms over to her, slamming his hands down. It occurs to me while listening to Kirstie speak to us that they maybe haven't told her anything because she's almost hysterical and they possibly haven't caught what she's saying. But that's me trying to be optimistic, if that's even possible right now.  
We just want to know that Marcia's okay.

 **A/N: Mitch was fun, but other than that what have I done...**


	12. Chapter 11

**A/N: SOrry, sorry, sorry! This should have been up and Saturday, but to make it up to you guys, I'll update again tomorrow, plus you are all gonna really like this chapter if that at all makes up for such a late update :P**

 **Chapter 11:**

I've never seen Kirstie bite her nails, but that is exactly what she's doing, chewing on one hand and keeping mine in a death grip in the other. She's sitting on the edge of her seat staring at the doorway I assume they must have taken Marcia through.  
"Work keeps calling me," Mitch sighs.  
"You can go Mitch," Kirstie briefly looks away from the door, "Avi's here so you go if you need to. He'll call you later," she looks across at me, then back to Mitch until she's looking back at the door.  
"If you're sure," he says slowly, standing up. I could tell he didn't want to leave Kirstie, I wouldn't want to either, not with her in this state.  
"Yes go! I don't want you to get fired, I'll be okay, and we'll let you know about… Marcia," her voice hitches and it only makes Mitch hesitate further.  
"It's fine, I got this," I tell him as calmly as I can manage.  
"I'll see you tw- three later then," he quickly walks off.  
"She's okay right?"  
I turn to Kirstie, "Of course she is," I have no idea, but I know that's what you say to someone in a situation like this.  
"I just need to see her Avi," he sobs between words and it damn near breaks my heart.  
"And you will, yo-"  
"Ms Maldonado?"  
Kirstie springs from her seat, yanking me with her, "Yes."  
"You're Marcia's parents?"  
"Yes," Kirstie nods. Wait what?  
"She has had an allergic reaction, while it was pretty severe, although it actually happens a lot when babies are being introduced to solid foods. I'll take you through now."  
Kirstie keeps a tight grip on my hand as the doctor leads us through to a room that had a few mothers and fathers with their babies in it, so why hadn't Kirstie been allowed to come in?  
He leads over to where Marcia is playing on a mat with a nurse and some toys, she looked fine, maybe a little more red, oh I see, her right leg was covered in little red dots and I swear she is a little bigger now that I think about it.  
Kirstie immediately leans down and cuddles her baby girl in her arms, sitting on the ground with her, tears starting to slowly roll down her cheeks again.  
"So what is she allergic to then?" I ask, because Kirstie hadn't.  
"We're going to run a couple of tests to find out, but it'd be helpful if you could tell us what she's eaten differently today than she has before, even in the last couple of days because it can take a couple of times before it cause a reaction. Now that being said the reaction today was so severe that it was probably something brand new."  
"Banana," Kirstie answers immediately. "I've been giving her something new everyday for the past week, peaches and custard, apple and custard, banana and custard, we tried broccoli yesterday too but she didn't like that."  
"I'm not surprised," I mumble and I'm sure I see a smile play at the corners of her mouth. "So it wouldn't be all the custard then?" I ask.  
"Not likely, the rash is more of a fruit reaction, so it very well could be the banana. Easy enough to avoid in the future, but we'll still run a couple of tests to be sure," the doctor gives a warm smile before he leaves.  
I crouch down next to Kirstie and Marcia, the smaller turning to look at me and her small hand automatically going for the beard pull. "Nice to see you too Martian."  
Kirstie snorts with laughter, "Martian?"  
"Absolutely," I smile, taking the little hand out of my beard and holding in mine, "She likes it, look at that smile." And on cue she starts laughing."  
"She laughs a lot more when you're around," Kirstie tells me quietly.  
"That's cause I look funny," I joke.  
She smiles and looks down, "Avi do you like me?"  
That took me by surprise, and I nod, "Yeah of course."  
"No," she puts Marca back on the mat, the nurse long gone and turns to me. "At the risk of sounding like a teenager, do you like me, like me?"  
"I knew what you meant, my answers still the same. I've always liked you but you've always been with someone else. I thought my opportunity was there after Matt but in the way I gave you time to get over him, you ended up bringing Jeremy in to meet us before I got my courage up. Just about broke my heart."  
"Well if we're being honest here, you just about broke my heart the first time you dated Jess, I had huge crush on you back then and I tried my best to get over it by dating Matt. You know it didn't work right? Especially since Matt cheated on me. If you had asked me out right then I would have said yes. You know what's funny though? Is that a lot of your appeal after I dated Matt was that I knew you'd never do something like he did."  
I look down with my eyes squeezed shut.  
"And I know you still wouldn't. So why did you?"  
"Because I really like you, this seemed like an opportunity for something between us to finally happen. I had been trying to break up with Jess since before I knew you were back in town. It just seems like that was when she finally got it, she finally knew that I didn't want to be with her anymore. She couldn't shrug that one off and tell me that I was just being silly and naive, that I didn't know what I really wanted. I do know what I want, I want you."  
"Avi," she has her hand over her mouth and I don't know whether she's happy or angry at what I've just said said.  
"Kirst, I was the person you wanted here today, with you,right?"  
She nods.  
"And I'm happy to be here with you, ready to cry when we didn't know what was wrong with Marcia, and smiling with you now that we know she's okay. I just want to be with you," I take her hands in mine.  
"I wanna be with you too… but promise you'll never cheat on me, I know you won't, but just please tell me that you won't," she rushes her words, almost as though I'll be mad at her for asking something so simple, I'm not mad at all. I'm so beyond happy that it hurts.  
"I promise I will never cheat on you," I say every word with emphasis and she breaks into another smile, with tears still streaming down her face, I even have a few rolling down mine.  
I think I'm finally going to be truly happy.

 **A/N: So what did ya think? :)**

 **Hannah.**


	13. Epilogue

**A/N: Surprise, it's the end, please don't kill me :o**

 **Epilogue**

"Kirstie! She spoke but you're gonna be mad!" I yell down the hall.  
"I am mad!" She runs into Marcia's room, lightly shoving me, "I'm mad that I missed it."  
"No like, we never actually discussed what she's gonna call me, and she-"  
"Dada!"  
I point at Marcia "Keeps saying that. I have been saying mom to her for months okay, I didn't do that."  
"Dada!"  
Kirstie smiles and picks up Marcia, "While you've been saying Mom, I've been saying Dad, so now we know who she listens too, aye Martian," she tickles the small girl's stomach creating beautiful laughter. By the way, Martian totally stuck and I take full credit for it. "Who dis?" Kirstie points to herself.  
"Mama!"  
"And who that?" she points at me.  
"Dada, dada!"  
"How long has she been saying Mama then?"  
"She said it yesterday, then I wanted to surprise you with Dada,"she smiles across at me.  
"You want me to be her dad?"  
"Baby, you already are, you're the best dad she could ask for. Best boyfriend I could ask for too, but that's somewhat less important," she laughs.  
Kirstie and I have only been dating about four months and Marcia's not quite one yet, and Kirstie's still decided that I'm going to be the father figure for her daughter, or I guess it's our daughter now since I am her dada which brings tears to my eyes every time she says it. I always knew I would be a dad one day, I just never thought it would be to a child that wasn't biologically mine. And I know at some point that me and Kirstie will have more children in the future, she wants four, I want three, we'll see how that turns out.  
Some people might think it's exteme, talking babies and what not when you've only been dating as long as Kirstie and I have, but it's not. People spend these first few months of their relationships getting to know one another, having been friends for four years before this Kirstie and I already know pretty much everything about each other. That and she has a daughter right now, so that prompts the talks because we want Marcia to have siblings close to her own age, it'll still be a couple of years before she gets any though, we'd like to be married. Okay maybe it's slightly over the top the amount of time we spend talking about it, but really it just means that we're planning on being together for a long time and I don't think there's anything wrong with that.

Kirstie's decided that it's finally warm enough to take Marcia to the beach for the first time. It's always pretty warm in California, but she's decided May will do just fine. It's sort of an early birthday present to Kirstie too, I hate the beach but I'm going to go for her, and for Marcia.  
I did some research on the best beaches for kids, Kirstie thought it was very funny, but I was serious, and I found one nearby that was perfect.  
We drove there with kids tunes playing and Marcia babbling along in the backseat, I was still learning them, but Kirstie knew all the words.  
Taking a child to the beach was a lot bigger deal than I thought. Firstly she had to wear this bulky waterproof diaper, even though Kirstie wasn't sure if we were gonna take her in the water, which is fine because everything about the ocean scares me. Secondly the poor girl was so covered in sunscreen I was sure if I picked her up she'd slide right from my hands. I have to admit, she's easily the cutest thing on the beach though, her little swimsuit has the ruffles and her little sandals match.  
Kirstie took a lot of pictures on her phone, and I mean a lot. They were mostly of me and Marcia, I kept trying to get out of shot and she kept telling me to get back in. Apparently it was the super rareness of me being shirtless that she had to capture at one point, because most of the time I did funnily enough have my shirt on. But we were about to take Marcia in the water, at least just by the edge.  
"Tie your hair up babe, it's getting in the way of some of the shots," she hands me a hair tie and I tie it up as best I can, I was out of practice seeing as my hair was only just long enough to tie up again. I was thinking of growing it out and Kirstie didn't seem to mind the idea, just warned me that Marcia will pull it.  
With sunblock on, shoes off and water wings on little arms I carried Marcia to the waters edge, Kirstie followed us with her camera on.  
"Are you sure you wouldn't rather take part in this moment?" Part of me didn't want to go near the water, I'd rather film it, and the other part was thinking maybe it'd be great if all three of us could do this together with no camera in the way. The whole ocean fear thing is winning out at the moment.  
"I'll film a little then I'll join in, and you'll be fine, you're hardly even going in the water, it's not deep yet so it's not technically the deep ocean, which is what you're really afraid of," see, she knows me too well.  
"Fine," I sigh with a slight chuckle. I step into the water so it's barely ankle deep then lower Marcia down until her feet touch the water too. She pulls her legs up as soon as she does though.  
"Yeah it's a little cold huh?" I laugh. Kirstie tells me to lower her a bit more, a little bit of cold water wasn't going to hurt her. So I do and she keeps on pulling her legs up higer until it's her butt that's in the water, she cries out, making Kirstie and I laugh. We knew she was fine because she starts splashing at the water and digging the sand up with her tiny fists and most importantly, laughing.  
"I'll be back," Kirstie says as she runs off, hopefully going to put her camera down.  
"It warms up pretty quickly huh?" I lightly tickle Marcia's side. "But if you don't like the ocean that's cool, I don't like it much either. This shallow won't hurt us though," I'm pretty sure I'm speaking more to myself than Marcia.  
The waves were only small, so it was ideal really for Marcia to just sit there and splash around. Kirstie finally comes back over and kneels down beside us. I glance over at her and have to double take, my attention is supposed to be on Marcia but that becomes very hard when Kirstie looks that good.  
"So who's the hottest mom on the beach, or you know possibly ever," I watch her with a smile and she lightly shoves me.  
"Shut up!"  
"Hey! I'm holding a child here!" I fake gasp and then we both break into laughter, Marcia joins in to, but I'm pretty confident that she doesn't know what we're laughing about.  
It's time to get out of the water when Marcia starts to change colour. We go back up on the sand and Kirstie makes quick work of getting Marcia changed into something warm so that the squirming child can go back to playing in the sand.  
"At this rate she's going to bring home half the beach in her diaper," Kirstie laughs as she releases the baby who all but dives into the sand beside us.  
"She's gonna put her hand in her mouth!" I warn.  
Kirstie turns, "I'll let her do it once, then she'll learn hopefully won't do it again."  
We watch and sure enough Marcia puts her sand covered hand in her mouth then reels back, toppling over, drool all over her chin.  
"See sweet-pea, don't do that," Kirstie says sweetly, pulling Marcia into her arms. "Can you pass a wet wipe, I'll give her something to eat."  
Kirstie wipes off the small hands like a pro then I hold out an apple slice for Marcia to take, she had a couple of teeth coming in and she really seemed to like apple, she could suck on it and chew it, the best of both worlds when you're not even one yet.  
"Have you thought much about what Scott offered up last week?" I ask.  
"Of course I have."  
"And so what are you thinking?"  
"That I'd love to make music again but that I don't think I'd be able to do the whole touring thing anymore. Which sucks cause I loved that side of it, meeting the fan a different place every two days, getting to see the world, but I have a child now and until she's 18 she's my top priority, and then even then," she half laughs.  
"Well I reckon we can still make music, we don't have to tour, there are plenty of musicians who don't tour, can't think of any off the top of my head but there some out there," I nod surely.  
"Then I'd love to do that, all five of us working together again, it'll be amazing. Especially if you put forward that song you wrote for Marcia," she smiles at me and I shake my head.  
"No, that's just for Marcia, besides it doesn't even have a name," I look across at the little girl, "She's gonna name it for me when she can talk," I chuckle lightly.  
"Fine, but if we're a song short of an album at some point then you'll have to reconsider," she smiles smugly at me, that was her way if saying she'd won and I better not talk back. I was happy to play by her rules. "So what about what I said, have you thought that over?"  
I nod, "Esther and Kev are getting along a lot better-"  
"Because there's something going on with the two of them."  
I shake my head, "Absolutely not. No. Anyways, they're getting along better and I spend most of my time at yours anyways so it would make sense to move in, but don't think I'm gonna start eating my vegetables just cause we're being all grown up and living together and stuff."  
She laughs, "Puh-lease I'm too busy trying to get Martian not to spit them back out to be bothered worrying about you… yet," she smirks again. Great, just great. "I can just see at some point saying 'if you eat a piece of broccoli, dad will eat a piece of broccoli."  
"Dad will not."  
"Dad will so if I tell him to," she points to herself.  
"How can I still love you even though you're trying to make me eat baby trees?"  
"I don't know, how can I still love you even though you call broccoli baby trees!"  
"Kirstin my dearest you have me stumped."

 **The End…**

 **A/N: But is it ever really the end?**

 **What if we added three ;)**

 **PS. Every time I wrote broccoli I spelt it differently and none of them were right ;P**


End file.
